This Book Is Not a Present

I Don't Want to Read

by Max Greenfield, Mike Lowery (Illustrator)

A hilarious picture book companion to I Don't Want to Read This Book by actor Max Greenfield.

We all know kids who carry a book everywhere they go. Kids who can't stop reading, even if it's long after bedtime. Kids who love nothing more than sitting quietly in the corner, turning page after page...
 
This book is a love letter to all the other kids. The ones who wouldn't dream of asking for a book as a present. The ones who unwrap the box hoping to find anything—a dog, a skateboard, even socks—besides a book.
 
Packed with clever, fourth-wall-breaking gags from Max Greenfield ( New Girl ) and eye-popping art from New York Times bestselling illustrator Mike Lowery, this ideal read-aloud may not wag its tail or come with wheels, but it's sure to have even the most reluctant bibliophiles laughing all the way to the end.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Books About Books, Holiday, Kids

40 pages, Hardcover

Published October 18, 2022

Reviews

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max Greenfield (yes, that Max Greenfield) wrote this adorable children’s book about a child receiving a book as a gift. The child’s point of view is no one wants a book as a gift (I do!!). It’s a cute book but be sure your child gets sarcasm!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey you! Yes, you! Don't read this book. It's a present. I mean...it's not a present. It's not a skateboard or a puppy or a gaming system. It's a book.

By the end of said book, the fourth-wall narrative, may just have any reader, reluctant or not, eager to find out Why the book is NOT a gift.

Actor Max Greenfield (from New Girls), gives readers a fun and funny romp that will engage readers.
Thank you Mr. Greenfield and illustrator Mike Lowery for keeping readers engaged.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets 5 stars from me exclusively because I could not stop laughing while I was reading it--seemingly with each page I'd bust up again. Granted, I'm an adult who appreciates a very dry sense of humor, and this book appealed to that side of me. This is certainly not a book with a warm-fuzzy grateful ending. It's just the grouchings of a chronically ungrateful child narrator over having received a book as a present--so I'm assuming it will be gifted mostly to those who would appreciate a naughty, funny read.

[Rashmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely a unique read.

If I changed the present from a book into a party invitation, then that would not have been a present.

But to each their own :)

Anyways, this book is written in the voice of a person who does not consider books to be a present.

They would rather it was a sock, or a dog, or a skateboard. Even a sock would've been a present.

But this book is not a present.

It was a lovely, quick read about how a whole section of the population finds something that I consider the best kind of present, not a present.

It is a rant. It is a complaint. It is a chapter book. It is a thank you, kind of. But it is also a book. And a present.

[CONSTANCE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in between the hilarious books “I Don’t Want to Read This Book” and “I Don’t Want to Read This Book Aloud”, this dynamic duo brings us a book that says what a lot of kids (including my grandson who sets anything under the tree that resembles a book, to one side) actually feel about getting a book as a present instead of something fun. Even those reluctant book recipients will laugh out loud reading this one as the narrator tells us that even socks would be better than a book.

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! I always want to give books as presents and my family always says no. It's hard to make a sequel/second book as fun as the first, but Max Greenfield pulls it off and maybe this one is even funnier. Or maybe it's just because I'm a book lover who wants to give everyone presents and they don't appreciate them. Lots of fun and lots of laughs!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult one for me to review. I appreciate Max Greenfield's work but this one was a bit of a miss for me. The narrator is never visible but is engaging directly with the reader to share why a book is never a gift. Readers will see the humor shared though the narrator is definitely serious about their beliefs. The illustrations are colorful and bring the ideas to life.

[Jack Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is NOT a present, and this is NOT a glowing review for the book that is definitely 100% NOT a present. Inside the book you can find a lot of cool things that ARE presents, like dogs and guitars and anything that doesn't come with instruction booklets. You'll also maybe have a good time reading it, but it's still NOT a present.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The gift you never knew you wanted" as the inside front cover reads is a fun read perfect for reluctant readers and any kid who maybe didn't ask for a book as a present but got one and found out it wasn't such a bad gift after all. Highly recommended as a read aloud book as well.

[Lindsay Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm stumped on a review for this one. My immediate reaction was yikes... not a fan. But, I love Max Greenfield and I can see the appeal of a LOL fourth-wall breaking book for those who would never ask for a book as a present. I'll have to come back to this one.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious. A kid thinks getting a book as a present is the worst thing in the world, and isn't scared to tell you about it. I can hear some of my students as the narrators of this book. A fun one to read aloud!

[Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute! I read from a local bookstore that Max Greenfield (aka Schmidt from "New Girl") was going to visit so I borrowed this book for fun. It's great for young readers and A GOOD PRESENT 😆.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very predictable with the rest of the series but also very cute. I really enjoyed the book. It was funny. I liked the different fonts used and that it was actually fairly low on pictures. A great read-aloud picture book.

[Christina Brandsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny even though I rarely like sarcasm, but I can’t imagine reading this book with a kid. It doesn’t help fix the dislike of reading. Also, it’s not repeatable. But it was a funny concept and I liked reading it once as a grown up who likes reading well enough.

[Hope Anderson (HopelessBookAddict) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so cute! Can’t wait to read it to my niece :)

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

BAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. But it isssssss!!! 💚💚💚

[Patricia Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to Max read his books is always a fun experience.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great illustrations and use of fonts, but not a repeat story. Didn't overly engage my 4.5yo son either.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

And, this is why I never (well, hardly ever) give books as presents.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious book presenting the viewpoint that a book is not a fun gift. A view that is the opposite of mine, but very relatable for many children who struggle with reading.

[Cassie Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this entire book that was not a present thinking “Youths!!!!” the entire time. 🤣 #NewGirl #SchmittyForLife #ICanDoThisAllDay

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the interactive format of this story but it dragged a bit and I wasn't sure what to make of the ending.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! My seven year old grandson loved it!

[Angie Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too funny.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. Held my daughter’s attention. She laughed.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy!

[Hellerzilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Schmidt, for putting a smile on my face for this present. Err--not a present. 😅

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a silly read aloud!

[Kris Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly done! (I’m also guilty of the inappropriate use of slime once or twice!)

[Liz Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't get it. Why do they keep publishing books about not liking books?